Children Free at Iberostar

Travel from May 1 to October 31 to an Iberostar Resort and children 12 and under stay free!  Choose from 16 hotels in Mexico (Cancun, Riviera Maya, Cozumel and Puerto Vallarta), Dominican Republic (Punta Cana and Puerto Plata) and Jamaica (Montego Bay) where you will find a nice variety of rooms and suites, plenty of dining options, evening shows, children’s program (age 4-12), spa, gym, daily activities, water sports, fun pools (some with waterparks) and more.  One child stays free when booked by May 31 (two children at the Iberostar Cozumel) with at least a 3-night stay.  Some black-out dates apply.

Free Nights in Cabo

Stay three nights and get one night free or seven nights and get two nights free at the One & Only Palmilla in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico through December 18, 2007.  Rates also include a welcome beverage as well as daily fresh fruit and snacks delivered to your room. For the 7-night stay, your rates also include daily breakfast for two and private round-trip airport transfers.  This 5-star and family-friendly resort sits on one of the only swimmable beaches in the area: Pelican Beach.  The resort offers a jungle-like setting and is only 15 minutes from the artsy town of San Jose del Cabo.  You will find two lovely pools, several dining options, spa, gym, yoga terrace, tennis, golf and a kid’s club for ages 4-11.  There are 160 spacious rooms, suites and large family sized villas (up to 4 bedrooms that will sleep 12 and is fully staffed); some include private pools.  The hotel also has its own yacht that can be rented for day-long excursions.

Virgin Islands Celebration

The US Virgin Islands turns 100 years this March.  To celebrate, Visit USVI is giving away $300 to all visitors during 2017 for vacations booked by October for travel through December 31.  This cash incentive cannot be used for flights or hotels, but instead can be exchanged for historical and cultural tours and activities including water sports, rentals cars, museums, walking tours, horseback riding, taxi services and more.  The credit is offered via bookings for at least three consecutive nights made at participating hotels on St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas including our favorites The Buccaneer on St. Croix, Concordia Eco-Resort, Caneel Bay and the Westin on St. John and Frenchman’s Reef Marriott Resort on St. Thomas.  Check out the history of the US Virgin Islands (no passports needed!) and all the fun places you can spend your $300 at http://www.visitusvi.com/sites/default/files/pdf/Centennial_Promotion_Spending_Credit_Rack_Card_updated_2.6.17.pdf.

More Luxury from Hyatt

We are glad to see the opening of two new and upscale resorts in the tropics that are ideal for family getaways or a couple’s retreat.  In the Riviera Maya, the Andaz Mayakoba Resort Riviera Maya opened last month.  Located just north of Playa del Carmen, the resort showcases 214 guestrooms and suites set on 590 acres, with access to preserved mangroves, lagoons and oceanfront views. Each room will offer a balcony or terrace, and all 41 luxury suites will feature a private plunge pool.  The resort offers several restaurants, golf, spa, several pools, gym, daily activities and more.

This spring the newly built Park Hyatt St. Kitts will open with 133 rooms and suites. It is located in Banana Bay on the South-East Peninsula of the island.  The resort, set within the Christophe Harbour residential development and marina complex, features contemporary architecture and a colonial feel with local art throughout.  Several of the rooms and suites will also feature private rooftop pools. A three-bedroom Presidential Villa comes complete with private chef and butler service.

Royalton Exclusive

The Family Traveler is pleased to announce an exclusive discount for Royalton Resorts in the Caribbean and Mexico for bookings made by February 28 and for travel through December 15, 2017.  The minimum night stay is only 3 nights and you receive discounts of up to $300/room!  Choose from a variety of resorts including family friendly and adult-only options: Royalton Cancun and Hideaway at Royalton Cancun in Mexico; Royalton White Sands, Royalton Blue Waters, Royalton Negril, Hideaway at Royalton Negril and Grand Lido Negril in Jamaica, CHIC Punta Cana, Royalton Punta Cana and Memories Splash in the Dominican Republic and Royalton St Lucia and Hideaway at Royalton St Lucia.  The package must include airfare and hotel to qualify.

Star Gazing on Maui

The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua on Maui, recently introduced a new exclusive offering, Na Hoku Mo’olelo, or Story of The Stars Experience. Offered as part of the on-property Jean-Michel
Cousteau Ambassadors of the Environment Program, Story of the Stars will be led by Kala Baybayan, the resort’s “apprentice navigator.” She will emphasize the importance of celestial navigation by teaching guests the history of voyaging, how to use a star compass, and explain the significant role the Polynesian voyagers played in the migration from the South Islands to Hawaii.  Open to both resort guests and the local community, Story of the Stars will take place every Thursday evening from 9 – 10 p.m. on the Beach House Lawn underneath the stars.  This new offering allows participants to take a step back in history and think like the Polynesian voyagers of ancient times as Baybayan guides them on a journey through the history of the Hokulea canoe. Named after the zenith star Arcturus, which passes directly overhead of the Hawaiian Islands and has been named “the star of gladness,” the Hokulea canoe uses solely celestial navigation throughout its voyages around the globe. In celebration of their 25th anniversary, the resort is offering 25 percent off most rooms, a $25 daily food and beverage credit (at most restaurants on property) along with 25 percent off Ritz Carlton logo items.  This package is available through December 18, 2017.

FunJet Discounts

Our membership in an elite group of travel agencies has secured a special discount with FunJet Vacations.  Receive $75-$150/booking (depending on the booking value) for travel through June 30, 2017 with a minimum 3-night stay to Mexico or the Caribbean for stays at Riu, Palace, Hard Rock, Blue Diamond, El Dorado, Posadas, Excellence, Palladium, Iberostar, Playa and Sandals or Beaches Resorts.  Some of these resorts are great for families while others are adult-only.  They all are all-inclusive and available in such destinations as Cancun, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, St. Lucia, Cabo, Turks and Caicos, Antigua, Puerto Vallarta and more. The discount is available on air and hotel packages and must be booked by January 31, 2017.  Book your spring break, romantic getaway, girls getaway, senior trip and more with us.  Book early for the best availability starting January 1, 2017.

Mauna Kea Keiki Club Revival

The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, a luxury resort on the Kohala coast of the Big Island of Hawaii, recently revived its Keiki Club Adventures program. The fully supervised, daily program for children ages 5 to 12 features a range of rotating activities that follow a schedule of themes that change daily.  Adventure options include shell hunting; hiking to ancient Hawaiian trails, caves and lava tubes; visiting nearby fishponds, streams and gardens; and finding treasures at stunning Kaunaoa Bay, which fronts the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. Parents are invited to sit in with your children to enjoy crafts, music and talk-story sessions. Mana and Makana are the resort’s manta ray mascots. Some of the Keiki Club Adventures daily themes include Surf & Shaka Sunday, Fishy Friday, Manta Monday and Warrior Wednesday. The program is available from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and is priced at $125 for the full day or $75 for half. Guests staying at either the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel or the neighboring Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel are eligible.  The Rockefeller built property is now part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection and also features a beautiful and secluded white sand beach, award winning golf course, 11 tennis courts and a massive collection of Pacific and Asian art with over 1,600 pieces

Grand Velas Los Cabos

The much anticipated Grand Velas Los Cabos is slated to open at the end of the year and will cater to its youngest guests with kids’ and teen’s clubs, spa treatments for all ages, and wellness-focused amenities and activities.  Healthy cooking classes, stretching lessons and more are included in the activity program focused on keeping all children active, while healthy turndown amenities are also offered, such as gluten-free cookies, low sugar cupcakes and seasonal fruit.  Inspired by the Teens’ Clubs at sister properties Grand Velas Riviera Maya and Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit, the double height Teens’ Club at Grand Velas Los Cabos is a contemporary space, where ages 13 to 18 can enjoy their own mini vacation. The 2,700-square-foot space has ocean views from the game room, complete with Xbox Kinect, pool table, air hockey, ping pong, foosball, karaoke set with illuminated dance floor and more. Individual cubicles feature Xbox and Playstation video game systems in special seats with built-in speakers for enhanced game play. A lounge offers mocktails, soft drinks, and snacks.  For ages 4 to 12, Grand Velas Los Cabos’ Kids Club offers a creative environment with designated reading, arts and crafts, video game and theater spaces, as well as outdoor space for soccer and treasure hunts. The 1,000-square-foot ocean view space is adjacent to the hotel’s wading pool and children’s play area.  Babies can also get the VIP treatment at Grand Velas Los Cabos with a designated baby concierge to assist with everything from baby’s first haircut, to cribs, Mexican toys, baby floats, baby clothes and more.

Unique Family Activities at El Conquistador

El Conqusitador Resort is Puerto Rico recently added unique family activities to their vast array of recreational options:

Aqua Parkour
Employing the principles of parkour, which uses surrounding objects and obstacles to challenge and strengthen the body and core, this refreshing pool version has participants don webbed aqua gloves as they go through a series of exercises that use the water’s resistance as well as the pool’s walls, steps and even swim-up bar stools.  Aqua Parkour classes are $25 per person and include half-day access for adults to the spa’s steam room, Jacuzzi, lockers and tea lounge.

FootGolf
In this relatively new sport, players kick soccer balls from a “tee” into a specially designed hole or cup on a golf course (avoiding sand traps and water hazards, of course). El Conquistador has the first FootGolf course in Puerto Rico, with 18 holes on the resort’s championship Arthur Hills-designed golf course.  It’s like soccer and golf put together!  FootGolf tee times are only available in the afternoon, and reservations are required. FootGolf is $40 per player and includes cart and ball rentals.